Contra-angle attachment for dental handpieces



March 6, 1945. J. H. BLAIR 2,370,632

CONTRA ANGLE ATTACHMENT FOR DENTAL HANDPIECES Filed Nov. e, 1943 .4 rra/mary Patented Mar. 6, 1.945

UNITED STATES.) mfr;ENT.v ottici?.-l

f CONTRA-AGLEATTACHMENT FORDNTAU" HANDPIECES'.;

James Henry Blair, .Staten Island, N. Y.,`.assignor t0 N'at'lch'ayes, Rye, NJY# Application November 6, 1943; Serial No.'5'09,335

(ClfBZZ'Y) 12 Claims.

f relates rto pened .thatisuch tools havecome' apartacciden.- f

tally .by-unintentional::release of the. pushbutton or. other -form of securing means. l

Special objects ofthisinventionsare .tofprovide a contra-angle :in which: objectionable features such.; asfrnenticned will be wholly` avoidedand eliminated. and. particularlyzto provide a device of Athisrcharacteii; fin Whichthe parts-will bei-irma ly held together -by non-projecting elements whichlwill notz-addfto theexternalsize orbulkof theotool and.' in which!thefparts though'readily A separableintentionally., will :not 4loe releasable'accidentally.

Other desirable objects andthe no velffeatures by whicnall objects of the invention are .attained will appear or are particularly set forth in the following specification.

The drawing accompanying-and'forming'part of -thespecication illustrates` a present zcom-V mercial embodiment ofthe invention( r.Structure however, vmay be modified andI changed alliwithl in the true intentrand. broad-scope ofthei-nven-` tionas hereinafter'vdened andfclaimed.vv

Fig. 1 of the drawing is a. sidevelevationof the contra angle in thev form yof-anv attachment. ap-r plied over the endof astrai-ghthandpiece. only.

the `end portion of-'the latter appearing ,in this view.

Fig. 2 is a combination view-r illustratingthe three .main- ,parts` of. the contra angle ,separated from eachother and'f'rom the v.end ofthe handpiece.

Fig. 3 is a broken. part. .sectionalside elevation showing the sleeve portion .of the. attachment unscrewed from the intermediate .angle piece.v

Fig. 4 is an end view of the. head ,piece show.- ing the latch or securing. paw-l inraised `relai tion.

Fig. 5 is a broken. plan View of the device..

As here shown, the' invention comprises three main parts, a head piece 5, carrying the' chuck for holding the dental tool, anl angle piece 6,

carryingvthe; sections' -'I,` 8; rof'fangle connected shafting'andga base sleeve'Q. .The latter,1asin-` dicated in Figs. '1` and12, is vengageableover the endV .of 'the sheathxl;Y of y a straight'dental. handpiece, in which .position the shaftcsection v81is grippedV in the ychuck: of `the straight lhandpirce.

The sleeve -9, vusually has one.y or morezlongitu= dinalH indentations. I I, to .enter longitudinal grooves I2, in the sheath, thus to keyztheiattachment Tinnen-rotatabletengagement ,over fthef end ofzthezhan'dpiece:

` The;:angle;.piece.z6, s shown.v as Vcomprising .an intermediate. collarrportion I3; chambered to -con'- tainthefvangularly related gears lconnecting the adjoining ends of shaftfisections *I and;8,..and

havingthexbearingbosses Ill, lim-projecting in angled .relation fromzroppositel ends'ofthe same, i

for shaft sections 'If andil.

The head rpiece 5, ^`has-a central 4boren I6, to snugly. receivefthe bearing abossf I4; and an. end shoulderv VI, to abutthe inclinedxshoulder. i8, at thefbaseof the hub portion I4. l

`The '.parts'ndes'cribed; are interlockediand -secured togethen in :the properlyangled relation illustrated `bya small'pawl or latch lever I9, pivoted' at w20; onrthe: :upper lsidexof the?. endportion of :the yheadpiece and snugly engageable in'j a grooveZ-I; in the-topcf thel intermediate'. collar pontion: I3.,2jsaid.1ever having-.a transversely extended-arched portion 22,.: at the Afree end-.ofthe sameengageable over the end shoulder 23,- of the' anglapiece:

The archedfporzticn 22,;is shownrasterminat ingin rounded lugs 24, proportioned to take.l a sliding wedging engagement-over-the shoulder 23;

It willbenoted in Figs.2 `and.3,'thattherloca- 'tionofzthe pivotalvcenter 20,. at Athe upper sideof the'. headpieceand the..extension of the lugs.2v4, downwardly to enga-gethefshoulder 2.3, at or near thellongitudinal center vof the anglepiece, enables the lever, in swinging downwardinto nal position, to draw the'headpieoe.into4 snugly .seated engagement over thev angle piece. Thiscoupling lever y'may be of vspringQmetal and the arched portion and bearing lugs 24,1be so proportioned that a tensioning of these parts ,will be occasonedwhenthe members are drawn together in fully 'seated engagement. IThus the headpiece andangle .portion may be held coupled together under 'a certain degree of `spring tension, to avoid any possibility ,of looseness which might cause vibration. y l v To lock the centering and holding lever in se- .curingposition; the sleeve is shown as internally threaded at v125, to screw over a threaded portion the bearing boss l5. I

Constructed as described, the parts are securely locked together in proper angled relation and there is no possibility of accidental release because the securing lever and particularly the end holding portions of the same are seated in and substantially wholly enclosed within the connected parts. This construction avoids any .projections, except possibly for the small lugs 3l, carrying the pivot 20, and which are located out of the way at the upper side of the instrument. The i lower, elbowportion of the instrument is left free and clear of any obstructions or projections, enabling it being used without danger or injury in positions of limited space within the mouth. The sleeve, as particularly shown in Fig. 1, may be tapered` down into substantially ilushrelation with the intermediate collar portion i3, of the anglepiece and this whole structure is externally sleeve, said headpiece having a telescopic engagement with said angle piece, a lever pivotally mounted on said headpiece and having a hooked engagement with said angle piece for holding said two parts together` and said sleeve being engageable with said angle piece over said hooked engagement of said lever for confining said lever in the holding relation described and said angle piece having a groove receiving a portion of said lever for keying the headpiece and angle piece together in non-rotatable relation.

3. A contra angle attachment comprising sep- ;:arably connected headpiece, angle piece and sleeve, said headpiece having a telescopic ensmooth and small in size and Vconveniently and comfortably held in the grasp of the the operator.

The sleeve, by engagement over the end of the securing lever, locks the parts rmly together,

fingers of but the parts can be quickly and easily' separated Y at any time, as for cleaning or sterilizing, by simply'unscrewing the sleeve and lifting the securing lever, as in Fig. 2.

: The gears connecting the angled shaft lsections 7 and 8 and the chuck in the headpiece are not shown, since these may be of any present approved form, but the pinion for driving the chuck, which cornes away with the shaft section l, when the parts are separated, appears at 32, in Fig. 2. As particularly shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the transversely extended end portion of the lever forms in effect an arched spring hook which straddles over the top of the bearing boss l5, and by engagement with shoulder 23, and swinging downward on a convergent arc, pulls the parts all the more firmly together as the sleeve is screwed to its iinally seated engagementover the b'evelled shoulder 30. This engagement of the sleeve with the inclined shoulder provides a frictional interlock opposing accidental loosening of the sleeve and also provides 'a stop preventing the sleeve from :being screwed so far as to possibly injure the spring holding lever. y

' It is contemplated that the invention may be made up in the form oi an integral handpiece instead of as an attachment for application over the end of a straight handpiece and that there may be other such changes, all Within the true scope of the invention.

' What is claimed is: v

1. A contra angle attachment comprisingse'parably connected headpiece, angle piece and sleeve, Asaid headpiece having a telescopic engagement with said angle piece, a lever ipivotally mounted on said headpiece and having a hooked engagement with said angle piece for holding said two parts together and said sleeve being engagea-ble with said angle piece over said hooked .engagement of said level'y for covering and confining said lever in the holding relation described.

2. A contra angle attachment comprising separably connected headpiece, angle piece and gagement with said angle piece, a lever pivotally mounted on said headpiece and having a hooked engagement with said angle piece for holding said two parts together, said sleeve being in engagement with said angle piece over said hooked engagement of said lever for conning said lever in the holding relation described, said lever having an arched end portion partly surrounding a portion of the angle piece and said sleeve having a tubular confining portion surrounding and enclosing said arched end portion of the lever.

vLA contra angle attachment comprising separably connected headpiece, vangle piece and sleeve, said headpiece having a telescopic engagement with said angle piece, a lever pivotally mounted on said headpiece and having a hooked engagement with said angle piece for holding said two parts together, said, sleeve being engageable'with'said angle piece over said hooked engagement of said lever for confining said lever in the'holding relation described, said lever being of spring material and said sleeve having a binding engagement over the same.

5. A contra angle attachment, comprising an angle piece having oppositely projecting relatively inclined bearing hubs, angled shaft sections journalled and retainedin supported relation in said bearing hubs, a headpiece engageable over one of said bearing hubs, a lever projecting from said headpiece over the other bearing hub and a sleeve engaged over said other bearing hub and in binding engagement with the projecting end portion of said lever.

y 6. A contra angle attachment, comprising an angle piece having oppositely projecting relatively inclined bearing hubs, angled shaft sections journalled and r'etained in supported relation in said bearing hubs, a headpieceengageabley over one of said bearing hubs, a lever projecting from said headpiece over the other bearing hub, a sleeve engaged over said other bearing hub and in binding engagement with the projecting end portionof said lever, the end portion of said lever beneath said sleeve being extended transversely and arched to partly embrace said other hub and the latter having a shoulder engageable by said transversely extended arched end portions of the lever.

for keying the headpiece and angle piece against relativev rotation.

f8. A contra an`g1e attachment, comprising an angle piece having oppositely faced relatively inclined shoulders at opposite ends of the same, a headpiece engageable over one end of said angle piece and cooperative with one shoulder, a sleeve engageable over the opposite end of said angle piece and cooperative with the other shoulder,-

the intermediate portion of said angle piece between said shoulders having a groove extending across from one shoulder to the other, a lever pivoted on the headpiece and-adapted to seatin said groove, said lever having a transversely extended end portion engageable behind the shoulder at the opposite end of the angle piece and said sleeve having an end portion engageable over said transversely extended portion `of said lever.

9. A contra angle attachment, comprising an anglel piece having oppositely-faced relatively inclined shoulders at opposite ends of the same, a headpiece engageable over one end of said angle piece and cooperative with one shoulder, a sleeve engageable over the opposite end of said angle piece and cooperative with the other shoulder, the intermediate portion of said angle piece betweensaid shoulders having a groove extending across from one shoulder to the other, a lever pivoted on the headpiece and adapted to seat in said groove, said lever having a transversely extended arched end portion with rounded tips engageable behind the shoulder at the opposite end of the angle piece, said sleeve having an end portion engageable over said transversely extended portion of said lever, said end portion of the lever engaging said shoulder on a convergent arc tending to draw the headpiece and angle piece together and said end portion of the sleeve exerting pressure to confine the lever in said position drawing the parts together.

10. A contra angle attachment, comprising a sleeve open at one end for engagement over the end of a straight dental handpiece, an angle said sleeve. f

11. A contra angle attachment, comprising a sleeve open at one end for engagement over the end of a straight dental handpiece, an angle piece having'relatively inclined bearing bosses at opposite ends of the same and relatively angled shaft sections journalled therein, said sleeve being engageable at its opposite end over one of said bearing bosses, a headpiece engageable over the other bearing boss, a connector extendingfrom said headpiece over said angle piece into position beneath the last mentioned end of said sleeve, said angle piece having a groove extending across from one bearing boss to the other end receiving a portion of said connector for keying the two parts together in denitely positioned non-rotatable relation.

12. A contra angle attachment, comprising an angle piece, a sleeve engageable over one end of the same, a headpiece engageable over the opposite end of the same and a connector detachably securing said angle piece and headpiece together in nonrotatable relation, said connector having a portion extendingwithin and secured by saidy sleeve. t

JAMES HENRY BLAIR. 

